want you to sleep over。 I love you。 Call me。
Love； Blair。
Nate read Blair’s e…mail twice and then closed the file so he
wouldn’t have to look at it anymore。 It was only Wednesday。 Was it
possible that Blair could remain ignorant about him and Serena until
Friday； even though she was in school with Serena every day and
they were best friends and told each other everything？ Chances
were； no。 And what about Chuck Bass？ He wasn’t exactly good at
keeping secrets。
Nate rubbed his pretty green eyes viciously。 It didn’t matter how
Blair found out。 Any way he looked at it； he was fucked。 He tried to
e up with a plan； but the only plan he could think of was to wait
and see what happened when he saw Blair on Friday night。 There
was no point in getting all worked up about it now。
Just then the door to the puter lab opened； and Jeremy Scott
Tompkinson poked his head around the door。
“Yo； Nathaniel； we’re cutting Gym。 e to the park with us and
play some ball。”
The second bell rang。 Nate was late for Gym anyway； and after Gym
he had lunch。 Cutting sounded like an excellent idea。
“Yeah； sure；” Nate said。 “Hold on a sec。” He clicked on Blair’s e…mail
and dragged it across the screen and into the trash。 “Okay；” he
said； standing up。 “Let’s go。”
Hmmm； if he really loved her； he probably would’ve saved the e…
mail； or at least answered it； right？
It was a sunny October day in Central Park。 Out in Sheep Meadow
lots of kids were cutting school； just lying in the grass； smoking； or
playing Frisbee。 The trees surrounding the meadow were a blaze of
yellows； oranges； and reds； and beyond the trees loomed the
beautiful old apartment buildings on Central Park West。 A guy was
selling weed； and Anthony Avuldsen bought some to add to what
Nate had picked up at the pizza place yesterday at lunch。 Nate；
Jeremy； Anthony； and Charlie Dern passed an enormous joint
between them as they dribbled a soccer ball around on the grass。
Charlie puffed on the joint and passed it to Jeremy。 Nate shot him
the ball and Charlie tripped over it。 He was six feet tall； and his
head was too big for his body。 People called him Frankenstein。 Ever
the blond athletic one； even when he was stoned； Anthony dove for
the ball； kicked it up in the air and headed it at Jeremy。 It hit Jeremy
in his puny chest and he let it roll to the ground； dribbling it
between his feet。
“Shit； this stuff is strong；” Jeremy said； hitching up his pants。 They
were always sliding down below his skinny hips； no matter how
tightly he buckled his belt。
“Yeah； it is；” Nate agreed。 “I’m all fucked up。” His feet were itchy。 It
felt like the grass was growing through the rubber soles of his
sneakers。
Jeremy stopped dribbling the ball。 “Hey； Nate。 Have you seen
Serena van der Woodsen yet？” he asked。 “I heard she’s back。”
Nate looked at the ball longingly； wishing he had it so he could
dribble it away across the field and pretend he hadn’t heard
Jeremy’s question。 He could feel the other three boys staring at him。
He bent down and pulled his left shoe off so he could scratch the
bottom of his foot。 Damn； it itched。 “Yeah； I saw her Monday；” he
said casually； hopping up and down on one foot。
Charlie cleared his throat and spit in the grass。 “What’d she look
like？” he asked。 “I heard she got into all sorts of trouble up at
Hanover。”
“Me too；” Anthony said； sucking on the roach。 “I heard she got
kicked out for having sex with this whole group of guys in her room。
Her roommate ratted her out。” He laughed。 “Like； couldn’t she
afford a hotel room？”
Charlie laughed。 “I heard she has a kid。 I’m serious。 She had it in
France and left it there。 Her parents are paying to have it raised in
some fancy French convent。 It’s like a fucking movie； man。”
Nate couldn’t believe what he was hearing。 He dropped his shoe
and sat down in the grass。 Then he took off his other shoe and
pulled off both of his socks。 He didn’t say anything； he just sat
there； scratching his bare feet。
“Can you imagine Serena with all these guys in her dorm room？
Like； Ooh； baby。 Harder； harder！” Jeremy fell down on the grass；
rubbing his skinny belly and cackling hysterically。 “Oh； man！”
“Wonder if she even knows who the daddy is；” Anthony said。
“I heard there was a pretty major drug thing going on； too；” Charlie
said。 “She was dealing and got addicted to whatever it was。 She
was in rehab in Switzerland all summer。 After the baby was born； I
guess。”
“Whoa； that is fucked up；” Jeremy said。
“You and her had a thing； didn’t you； Nate？” Charlie said。
“Where’d you hear that？” Nate asked； frowning。
Charlie shook his head and smiled。 “I don’t know； man。 Around。
What’s the problem？ She’s hot。”
“Yeah； well； I’ve had hotter；” Nate said； and immediately regretted
it。 What was he talking about？
“Yeah； Blair’s pretty hot too； I guess；” Charlie said。
“I bet she gets pretty crazy in bed；” Jeremy agreed。
“Dude’s tired just thinking about it！” Anthony said； pointing at Nate
and cackling。
Nate laughed and shook his head； trying to shake their words out of
his ears。 He lay back in the grass and stared at the empty blue sky。
If he tilted his head all the way back； he could just see the rooftops
of the penthouses along Fifth Avenue； Serena’s and Blair’s included。
Nate let his chin fall so all he could see was blue sky again。 He was
too baked to deal with any of this。 He tuned his friends out and tried
to clear his mind pletely； his head as empty and blue as the sky。
But he couldn’t get the images of Serena and Blair out of his mind’s
eye； floating naked above his head。 “You know you love me；” they
were saying。 Nate smiled and closed his eyes。
Disclaimer： All the real names of places； people； and events havebeen altered or abbreviated to protect the innocent。 Namely； me。
hey people！
I know it hasn’t been long。 But I can’t resist writing more about N。
My new favorite topic。 He is so stunningly beautiful； after all。 Even if
he is kind of lacking in the balls department。
STONED IN CENTRAL PARK
Actually； my new favorite topic is the Waspoid—the elite version of
the wasteoid； or stoner boy。 Unlike the average stoner wasteoid； the
Waspoid isn’t into metal or online dungeon games or skateboarding
or eating vegan。 He gets cute haircuts and has good skin。 He smells
nice； he wears the cashmere sweaters his girlfriend buys for him； he
gets decent grades； and he’s sweet to his mom。 He sails and plays
soccer。 He knows how to tie a necktie。 He knows how to dance。 He’s
sexy！ But the Waspoid never fully invests himself in anything or
anyone。 He isn’t a go…getter and he never says what’s on his mind。
He doesn’t take risks； which is what makes it so risky to fall in love
with him。
You might have noticed that I’m just the opposite—I never know
when to shut up！ And I seriously believe that opposites attract。 I
have to confess； I’m being a Waspoid groupie。
Apparently I’m not the only one。
Your E…mail
Dear Gossip Girl；i hooked up majorly with